Care Economies in Context

Think Pieces

Canadian Labour Congress: Recognizing and Valuing Care Workers on the International Day of Care and Support


To mark the first International Day of Care, The Canadian Labour Congress posted an article stressing the need to recognize and value care workers. The Canadian Labour Congress is a partner organization on the Care Economies in Context project.

In celebration of the inaugural International Day of Care, Canadian unions are advocating for increased investment in the wages and working conditions of care workers. The Canadian Labour Congress highlights the vital role of care in our lives and underscores the need to recognize and value the often precarious and undervalued work, predominantly carried out by women. The CLC calls for greater investment in improved wages, working conditions, and a comprehensive, integrated care strategy guided by the International Labour Organization’s framework.

“The gendered impacts of the care crisis are real, with deep impacts on the women who work in care. These women are working in precarious jobs, for low wages and in poor working conditions. This is a longstanding, unfair and unsustainable situation.”

Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the CLC

The article emphasizes the urgent call for a comprehensive and integrated care strategy in Canada, guided by the International Labour Organization’s framework, aiming to address workforce challenges, ensure equitable access to care, improve working conditions, and empower care workers in decision-making processes.